St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-06-19
The Storm Of Yesterday Noon Almost
Tips the Craft 0ver---Everyhody
Finally Landed in Safety.
Picnic OF the Millers---Their Ouiinu
Proves al Immense Success in
Spite Of the Heavy Blow.
funeral of Jehn 0rih---Serious Charae
by Young Girl---Lakes Harriet
and Calhoun.

fatalities which are ever associated in
the minds of the world, with its match
less beauty. But the storm passed
without the sacrifice of human life,
though only by the rarest good fortune.
1t was Providence rather than any thing
else that caused the City of ST. Louis,
heavily loaded with passengers. to drift
ashore without loss OF life, after being
nearly capsized by the wind. The pie
nickerS in and about the Lake Park and
the happy dancers at the pavilion, did
not seem to realize that with the rain
had come very violent wind, and a
storm of unusual severity was blowing
on the lake. The approach OF
the wind was watched from
the boat house by few who had sought
refuge there. 1t came down from the
Lafayette with appalling SuddenneSS.
The lake, which had but moment be-
fore was almost smooth, was quickly alive
with breaking white caps. The waves
were net high. 1t seemed as though the
over them, and they ran in
long low swells, the white spray
blowing from the creSts in sheets along
the surface of the troubled water.
Sypher'S yacht, which was achored off
the wharf, was quickly blown ashore.
A close examination of that portion of
the lake visible from the boat house
failed to disclose a single craft. All had
evidently seen the approaching storm
and had successfully sought shelter.
Thirty row boats were out, but after the
storm all returned in safety. The boat
men could not conceal their anxiety
lest some steam yacht should be caught
and foundered by the wind, which had
increased q n
sign of distress was to be seen from the
Lake Park but down the lake. hidden
from view by Gales island, scene of
tragic interest was being enacted.
THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS
ad left the Lake Park dock at II o'clock
with aboHt 600 eXcurSiOniSts on board.
heading for WayZata. The boat was in
charge of Capt. Johnson, who has been
on the City ever since she was put on
the lake. When she left the dock the
clouds in the west rather threatened
windstOrm. As the boat reached
Big island the signs of a gale
became so strong that Capt.
Johnson and Chief Engineer Montgom-
cry determined to head her for the lower
end of the island, and then cast anchor
under shelter of the shore, thinking
that the two-inch haWSer, a ided if nee
esSary by the engines, could hold her
against anyStorm. Scarcelyhad this plan
been determined upon when the storm
broke. The City was quickly headed
toward shore, and in a very few mo-
ments, the wind increasing, the anchor
was lowered. Almost at the same in
slant the wind veered and striking the
big boat on her side, blew her far over
on her beam, the water rushing in to a
depth of four feet on the StarbOard
boiler deck. She raised, and at the
same time her hawser broke,
and she began drifting across
to Austin's point. When the
broadside struck, and she went over,
her boilers were thrown twenty inches
out Of position, breaking the blow-off
pipe and all other connecting pipes to
the engine. 4 cloud of steam thus es-
capped which drive the engineers from
their posts and they narrowly escaped
being scalded. The boat was now ALSO
lutely at the mercy Of the storm.
Meanwhile
TIE PASSENGERS,
all of whom had found shelter on the
cabin deck when the rain began. were
frightened beyond description. AS the
wind struck and the vessel tipped until
her decks were nearing the perpendicu-
lar, the passengers were hurled toward
the lower side, whence they frantically
climbed to the higher part of the deck.
clinging to the stanchions, the rails and
anything else that Offered temporary
support. Several ladies tainted, and
fer an instant all was confusion. John
f. Nelson, who happened to be
standing on the windward side
of the boat when she tipped,
was knocked overheard and went com
pletely under the vessel, coming up on
the other side. Fortunately box large
enough to support him was thrown over
at the same time, and reaching this he
chung to it until picked up by the Ros-
ander, almost an hour after the acct
dent. Mr.. Nelson says man in row
boat came out to him and circEed en-
tirely around him, but to his cries for
help the fellow made no offer of assist
ance, and rowing TO shore stood on the
beach and watched the helpless
man. As soon as the broadside
struck, the boats company quickly
passed up life preservers, and the ladies
and part of the men were supplied with
them. After the first shock the passen-
gers behaved with remarkable cOolness.
keeping well to the higher side of the
vessel, and with her submerged side
thus lifted she righted partially and
drifted before the wind across the lake,
striking, after about thirty minutes. on
the Excelsior side of Austin's or Fergu-
sons point, almost on CottagewOod
dock. The beat struck easily.
and the passengers, many of
whom were suffering from the
shock, were landed without further ac-
cident. When the boat first struck two
men jumped overheard and swan
ashore. The passengers, after being
cared for at the cottages in the vicinity,
were taken to the Lake Park by the
RoSander and other steam yachts. A
partial examination leads the engineer
to believe the hull uninjured. The en-
gineS were not even Wrenched and eS-
capped unframed, the only damage to
the boat being the displacement of the
boilers, the breaking of the connecting
pipes and the breaking of mirrors and
crockery in the cabin and pantry.
Fortunately no lives were lost,
but it is horrible to think
of the awful fatality that would have
resulted had the boat been blown en-
tirely over. She carried but four small
life boats, and, even SuppoSing it had
been possible to launch them, not more
than Seventy-five of the 600 people on
board could have been carried by them.
1t was reported last evening that tele-
grams warning the lake captains of the
approaching storm were received at
Lake IarK all Hour before The wind
came, but this is denied by
Clerk Zimmerman, of the Navigation
company. Surely there should be care
full investigation into the accident.
Human life is too precious to he placed
in Jeopardy by oyer-brave pilots or reck-
less managers. 1t is not charged that
there was itherreckleSsness or bravado
in the management of the City of st.
Louis yesterday, but it does seem as if
the accident might have been avoided
All the other boats. save the Lotus, were
in llarbor when the storm came. The
Lotus WAS nearing Chanman'S and The